The 7th annual Center City Jazz Festival is approaching fast. The day-long jazz spectacular was announced earlier in the winter, and now that Jazz Appreciation Month is upon us, so is the show, which takes place on April 28th from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in a collection of venues along the Samson Street corridor.

With over 20 bands, five venues, and six-plus hours of music, it might seem like this event would be inaccessible, but that is the opposite of the case. All the featured venues are within walking distance from one another, tickets are only $25, and one ticket gets you access to every single show. This year the lineup features musicians from the Philly, New York, and DC areas — ranging from in-demand Philly guitarist Dai Miyazaki to NYC saxophonist and band-leader Sharel Cassity, local vocalist Ella Gahnt, Roots crew collaborator Jeff Bradshaw and more. Founder/artistic director Ernest Stuart has accomplished his goal in creating a diverse array of musicians “…that would normally never be featured together on the same bill.”

You can get tickets to the Center City Jazz Festival here, as well as find directions and get more information. Check out the full schedule by venue and check out music by the artists down below. Continue reading →

The annual Center City Jazz Festival returns for its seventh year on Saturday, April 28th. You’ll be able to spend six hours listening to the sweet sounds of horns, keys and more. There will be over twenty bands performing across five venues on the Sansom Street corridor: Franky Bradley’s, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Fergie’s Pub, MilkBoy, and Time Restaurant. Continue reading →

On Saturday, April 29th, the sixth annual Center City Jazz Festival will stock Philadelphia with more than a dozen jazz acts for one day only across five intimate venues. This year’s line-up concentrates even more on the depth of talent found within the city limits and features some recent favorites as well as longtime leaders.

This year’s Center City Jazz Festival has been announced and features a wide range of performers and venues. Happening on Saturday, April 30th, this will be the event’s fifth annual installment after local trombone player Ernest Stuart founded the fest in 2012.

Center City Jazz Fest founder Ernest Stuart performs at Time | Photo by John Vettese

The best Philadelphia music festival you haven’t checked out yet, Center City Jazz Festival took over the Sansom Street corridor on Saturday afternoon with 20 performers stationed at five different venues. In terms of bang for your buck, it’s an incredible deal: a $15 ticket lets you bounce from space to space, maximizing the music you take in.

If you know nothing about jazz, it’s a robust introduction to the scene – ultra-modern originals mixed with traditional standards and crossover covers of Sigur Ros, Aphex Twin and Nirvana. If you’re more versed in the jazz world, CCJF shines a light on the variety our community has to offer.Continue reading →

We’ve been anticipating the fourth annual Center City Jazz Festival, and the final schedule has been announced, as well as the addition of Franky Bradley’s on the schedule of venues.

On April 25 from 1 to 7 p.m., an array of jazz musicians will bring their talent to a handful of Philly spots. Catch the full schedule below, and get acquainted with some of the performers here. Continue reading →

The lineup for the fourth annual Center City Jazz Festival has been announced, with some Philly favorites on the list, like Ben Schachter & Re:Trio, Daud El-Bakara Sextet, Dena Underwood, Ernest Stuart, Fresh Cut Orchestra, Max Swan and the beloved West Philadelphia Orchestra.

This year’s festival is set for Saturday, April 25 (tickets). Catch the whole lineup here, and get acquainted with some of the festival’s performers below. Continue reading →

The Center City Jazz Festival has announced its lineup for the day long festival on Saturday, April 19th. Four venues – including Milkboy Philly, Chris’s Jazz Cafe and TIME Restaurant will host 16 bands throughout the day. Highlights this year include vocalist Joanna Pascale, tenor saxophonist Tim Warfield, Jr., and Steve Coleman and Five Elements. Coleman, from Chicago, is the founding member of the M-Base Collective, a collective of musicians and an approach to musical and creative expression. Below is the complete schedule, and a couple of free downloads from Coleman’s work with Five Elements. Go here for tickets, listen to music below and peruse the schedule after the jump.

The 2nd annual Center City Jazz Festival takes place this weekend starting Friday, May 10th at the Philadelphia Art Museum with a performance from Cuban American singer-songwriter Venissa Santi. An incredibly talented Philadelphian, Santi was a 2008 Pew Fellow in Folk and Traditional Arts and is a graduate of the University of the Arts. She will perform with saxophonist and flutist Jane Bunnett, with Larry Kramer and Luis Bonilla.

Also on Saturday, there are 20+ other performances at venues including Fergie’s Pub, Milkboy Philly, Chris’s Jazz Cafe, Time Restaurant (Upstairs and Downstairs). The headlining show features pianist Orrin Evans at the Arts Bank Theater at the University of The Arts. While many of the musicians are playing at the same times, we’ve put together some suggestions for sets to check out. Continue reading →

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH